Pea Ridge, AR

A Stand Alone City with Much to Offer

Spoiled for Amenities, This City Is Firmly Looking Forward to Key Developments

Pea Ridge is a growing city with a clear sense of identity. It sits in the scenic Sugar Creek Valley, just north of two of Northwest Arkansas’s largest communities, but it is not defined by them. Instead, Pea Ridge stands proudly on its own, a strong community with a thoughtful vision for the future, and a commitment to building a city that works for its residents today and in the future.

“Pea Ridge is a stand alone city,” expresses Mayor Nathan See. “We have sustained and been resilient through the years, and we continue to be that way. I would say that one of our biggest characteristics is that we have really stood our grounds as a city individually, rather than trying to connect through a main artery or connector with another city.”

A Downtown Ready for Renewal

Pea Ridge’s main corridor has historically been more of a pass through than a destination, but the city is preparing to change that. “We are wanting to revitalize our downtown and try to get that honed in, to get more businesses coming in,” says Community Development Coordinator Dustin Phy.

One of the biggest steps is a proposed highway swap with the Arkansas Department of Transportation, who currently own the roads in the downtown district, which is located on Highway 72 and Highway 94. “The first collaborative effort for us is to get those to be city streets so we can do more with those within our own jurisdiction,” explains Mayor See. “We do have a concept to create a square in our downtown area. There’s a lot of opportunities there to do some revitalization and bring more commercial and more nightlife.”

Planning Director Keegan Stanton adds that Pea Ridge has already adopted a future land use map that designates a specific downtown district. “Now, we’re going to work on actually creating zoning ordinances that can facilitate that traditional downtown Main Street style of development. We’re building the policies and tools to get us to a point where we can support that walkable sort of downtown feel,” he says.

Planning for Growth

Pea Ridge is one of the fastest growing cities in Arkansas, doubling it’s population over the last five years. Currently sitting at around 13,000 residents, the community is predicted to grow to over 20,000 people by 2030. “The northwest Arkansas region has been growing very quickly,” Stanton notes. “We are positioned very well to take advantage of these opportunities, and that’s why we feel it’s important to have such a detailed and forward looking plan for that growth.”

With this in mind, the city is making intentional decisions about land use and density. Stanton details, “We are looking at preserving areas along our main corridors and main nodes of intersections for commercial or mixed use development. We don’t want to just build this sprawling residential pattern where everybody has to get into a vehicle to go anywhere within Pea Ridge.”  The plan encourages higher density around parks, schools, and the future downtown district, creating a “canvas for development.”

 Housing and Infrastructure

With such rapid growth, infrastructure has become one of the city’s highest priorities. Pea Ridge is investing close to $7.5 million over the next three to five years, and one of the largest ongoing projects is Carr Street. This  $1.8 million investment will serve as the frontage road for the future community center and a nearly complete all inclusive playground funded in partnership with the Walton Family Foundation.

Other projects include street improvements and sidewalk updates. Phy expands, “Those are with partnerships with ARDOT and Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning. We got TAP grants and CRP grants, and those total almost $700,000 for approximately 4300 linear feet of sidewalk.”

The city’s water and sewer investments are even more substantial. Mayor See says, “We are fixing to do over $10 million of investment on the water and sewer side for a new water tower, transmission line, and upgrading some of our lift  stations.” With regional sewer challenges affecting cities across Northwest Arkansas, Pea Ridge is determined to stay ahead of the curve, updating a sewer plant that was built in 2021, to meet current projections. “As far as infrastructure, we’re heading in the right direction to be proactive, rather than reactive to the growth,” he affirms.

When it comes to housing, residential development has been strong, with a mix of single family and multifamily projects both completed and underway. The city has been meeting with multiple builders and is placing new emphasis on the missing middle, the range of housing options that help bridge the gap between traditional single family homes and large multifamily buildings. “Workforce housing is a big thing that’s missed, not only in Northwest Arkansas, but in the nation,” outlines Mayor See. “There’s more of those opportunities coming, where we can fulfill that medium housing that’s being missed.”

Growing Retail and Commercial Opportunities

Retail growth is a major priority for the city, and much of that focus centers on the busy Highway 72 corridor. “It has about 20,000 cars a day that travel it,” depicts Mayor See, noting that its two lane configuration and lack of shoulders have slowed retail development. Even so, he says interest is growing. “We did have multiple site selectors come in and look at some sites,” he shares. “It will come in time, everybody is just waiting to see what Highway 72 is going to look like, and what we are doing internally with the infrastructure.”

One key part of those discussions is connectivity, specifically roads, sidewalks, and trails. “Those site selectors want that bike/ped connectivity for the residents, because that is becoming more and more of a way of transportation for people, especially in a city our size,” he continues. “It is an eight mile area that people can commute around. So we need to create those opportunities for them to have that connection.”

As for the type of business the city is hoping to attract, Mayor See is clear. “We’re really going after retail, family entertainment and sit down restaurants. Anything you can put in your city that keeps people there to work, play and stay, that’s what you want to have there.” To guide these efforts, Pea Ridge relies on data from Placer AI, a location intelligence software platform. “We use that to see what we are losing to neighboring cities, and why people are going,” he reports. “Obviously, the data is shown. Numbers do not lie at the end of the day.”

Recreation and Outdoor Appeal

The city is home to the Pea Ridge National Military Park, an important historical site where the battle of Pea Ridge occurred. Today, one of its biggest draws is actually to the cycling community. Stanton recounts, “Northwest Arkansas has a lot of investment in mountain biking, and those trails and connections have started to make their way to Pea Ridge.”

Youth sports and recreation are also gaining momentum. A soccer field was recently added behind City Hall, and additional programs are expanding through the school district. “We have a very good relationship with our school district, and in a partnership with them, we’ve bought some land out east of town for our future sports complex,” Phy elaborates. “The plans include ball fields, tennis courts, pickleball courts. It’d be the place for the school to host their games, and also for our citizens to use.”

Partnerships for Progress

A successful community is built on collaboration, and Pea Ridge is no exception. The city has maintained strong partnerships across multiple levels, from utility providers SWEPCO, Carroll Electric and Black Hills Energy, to ARDOT. “Those have been our key partners to try to get ahead of this growth,” Stanton acknowledges. “Highway 72 is going to be our big sticking point for growth in the future, and we’ve been working very closely with ARDOT and trying to get that to become a priority corridor  for them to address, getting us a good connection to the rest of the region and the interstate system.”

Pea Ridge also works with the Greater Bentonville Area Chamber of Commerce, the Rogers Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Arkansas Economic Development Council. Another valuable collaborator is the Community Development Institute at the University of Central Arkansas, which has supported branding, walk audits, and staff development.

Stanton remarks, “We’re really open to our business community in the region, nationally, and trying to draw in retail, restaurants, even national employers. So any of those that would like to work with and partner with the city of Pea Ridge, we’ve got an open door, and we’re happy to partner with them in any way we can.”

Looking Ahead

With major infrastructure projects moving forward, a renewed focus on downtown, strong community engagement efforts, and thoughtful planning, Pea Ridge is positioning itself for a future that honors its character while embracing new opportunity.

As noted by Mayor See, Pea Ridge has long been a resilient, independent city. That foundation, paired with careful planning and a collaborative spirit, makes the path ahead not only promising but exciting for the entire community.

AT A GLANCE

Who: Pea Ridge, Arkansas

What: One of Northwest Arkansas’ fastest growing cities

Where: Benton County, Arkansas

Website: www.cityofpearidge.com